In the TCM system, autumn is associated with the metal element, which represents qualities of clarity and value (think precious metals - what is gold to you) but also knowing when to release. It’s a melancholy time but also one for refinement. In this season we work with the Large Intestine (yang) which is all about elimination and letting things go, and also the Lungs (yin) which are associated with temporality. After all the breath is constantly coming and going. But also, healthy lungs allow for a single moment in time to become complete. Think taking a full breath, feeling into the fullness of our lungs - this is being totally present. We breathe in - process, and breathe out, let go.

Both yoga and activism are a practice. This means that they are dynamic, responsive, reflective activities. It also means that they defy their stereotypical representations, because they are alive in the heart, mind and body of the practitioner. They go deep, transform us, and arise back out of us in unexpected ways. And through this very practice,  when we look more closely at the intentions and the practical dynamics of both, it’s clear that they are much more related than you might guess at first.  

At their heart, the aims of yoga and activism are the same - the wellbeing and liberation of the individual, and the collective -  and in terms of their practical approaches and challenges, they need each other.

When we go to a protest, it’s because we are upset about a situation. We’re angry about injustice, and we show up to make a stand. This is good and important! But there’s a thing about being upset - it funnels our attention, which can be a tool for fighting for change, but it can also blind us to seeing each other. This is what I felt today in the midst of this face-off between the anti-immigration group and the anti-racism group.. We’re standing there, anti-each other, and it can be so easy to look at the opposite faction and dismiss them and their feelings, that’s at best - but at worst, we can raise up hatred towards each other. There wasn’t violence today, thank goodness, but we saw people flipping the finger at each other and shouting aggressive slogans.. But isn’t the point of our anti-racist protest about resisting hate, not stirring up more of it?

I had several conversations with women over the past few days about International Women’s Day and how it has made us feel weird and uncomfortable and for some times we weren’t even sure why. Surely a day celebrating women should be good?
For me it started out as a small but spiky discomfort at being feminised and objectivised as a ‘lovely lady’ (I first encountered 8th March as a holiday when I was living in Russia and strangers would offer me flowers and free gifts and ‘sweet wishes’)

Over the years the quiet tension I felt grew and got louder, until I started to lean into the discomfort and feeling that I was being squished into a shape that didn’t feel appropriate for me.

I never wanted to believe that the world is evil.